Derby County manager Nigel Clough is hoping either Jake Buxton or Mark O'Brien can be patched up in time to face Hull City

“As an infrequent poster on here it's refreshing to read that the majority of posts have a very balanced outlook on where we are as a club....'Wicklow'....sure I speak for many when I say we all share your sense of frustration from time to time?.... but there really is a bigger picture here....one thing I am personally pleased with is the apparent stability within the club, when I look around now at other clubs and think back to some past regimes in situ' here it's a wonder we ever got a team on the pitch....having said that and bearing in mind I now live out of the area and so may have missed something...I would like to understand the business plan for the next 5 years.....lets be positive though....starting with tonight where Derby will need to prepare for another physical awayday....!”

“WIKLOW - what more do you want??

Since Steve McClaren left Jim Smith's backroom staff (in 1999!!!) the club has been on a steady decline.

So in 13 or 14 years we've been involved in relegation battles pretty much every season, with only George Burley and Billy Davies offering us any brief respite...until last season where Nigel well and truly began to 'steady the ship'.

Some fans appear to have very short memories. Yes I want Derby to be competing at the highest level, emulating a Stoke or Swansea in terms of successes but you have to be patient. There's been too much 'bust' as a result of chasing a 'boom' for this club in it's recent history.

It's good to see that at least some fans have taken heed of the lessons DCFC has learned over the years, it's a shame that more seemingly can't do the same.”

“Wiklow firmly believes it should be US playing Real Madrid tonight and not Man U. Anything less in unacceptable and we should sack the manager, the board, the tea lady, that chap outside selling burgers.......!!”

“Wiklow - If you think that some fans are being ' kidded into thinking that meandering averageness really is brilliant!' that seems to be a very arrogant stance, i.e. it suggests 'they are too blind, or too stupid, to see it but I know different'.

In reality most fans see the team for what they are, a very young side who have, at times, played some really excellent football at Pride Park but, away from home, they have lacked the defensive steel to grind out results.

What is 'intolerable' about it? We have reduced an injury prone, over-paid bunch of under achievers to nothing then started again from scratch. There isn't a single player in the squad who was at the club when Clough arrived, the turnover has been phenomenal. Yes, the progress would have been quicker if the owners had lumbered the club with more debt but I don't see anything 'intolerable' about our progress.

It might be intolerable to a generation who have the attention span of a dead rabbit but some of us are just pleased to see a young side develop and improve season on season. A bit more defensive solidity will make a huge difference to our away results and our league position but that won't make much difference to a person who judges a side over a period of months, not years.”

“WIKLOW We are building a decent side, with limited finance this is bound to take time. I for one am enjoying watching us develop. Yes, there are ups and downs in performances, that is inevitable with a largely young side, but we are progressing. Back in the day, this is what most teams did. This is much more interesting than throwing millions of pounds at it in the hope of instant success, which seems to be today's culture for many fans.
PeteD I agree with what you say - we just clearly have a different definition of 'make-do' !”

“Bumbling around... lose win win lose lose win win lose draw lose win draw...not enough players...not good enough players...intolerable Championship no mans land...a massive under achievement by a club with massive potential. Another year of failure. GSE's inglorious stewardship sees some fans being kidded into thinking that meandering averageness really is brilliant!”

“I don't think that Derby will bring in loan players these days unless it is with a view to a permanent deal in the summer. So unless there is a centre half out there who we fancy as a permanent member of the side, and he is available in the summer at the right price, we will probably make do. I have a bit of sympathy with that because we have thrown away a lot of money on loan signings who drifted off after a not very spectacular contribution.”

“......think a decent central defensive partner for Keogh would have been the 'missing link' and seen us consistently holding down a place in that 10th to 6th bracket....rest of the team, given finances et al has performed well under the circumstances IMO and I've enjoyed watching them...still not sure if O'Brien will make the next step and Buxton/O'Conner certainly will not, although I have no problem with their individual commitment on pitch........Upson would have done the job for 3 months....I wonder if we ever considered it?”

“O'Brien may develop into a fine player with another couple of seasons under his belt. Buxton is a very honest player but lacks the finese to be a key defender in a promotion chasing team; where we'll need craft, guile and pace along with the basic attributes that he certainly has.

On that basis, and compared to the likes of Keogh, Barker or Shackle, I'd certainly call them 'make do' with Roberts in the same category.”

“We have nothing to lose by giving Gjokaj a try if others aren't fit. Judging by the game against Hull at PP, realistically we will be lucky to get anything tomorrow and if we are to stand a chance we need to keep Brayford at RB for his attacking flair and his partnership with Coutts.

PeteDerby, I wouldn't call Bucko or O'Brien make-do.”